No Place I'd Rather Be
by steffon22
Summary: Sixth year & onwards AU. Harry has taken the events of the past year better thanks to a letter from Sirius & has decided to take more control of his life & enjoy the peace while it last before the impending war. Someone unexpected has also changed and grown a bit and may also share his views on life. Maybe that'll help out in the days to come. Additional genres: humor, drama


AN: Well hey I'm back, but probably not in the way you expected. Oh well, lol promise I'll get my muse back for my other story it's just that this suddenly came to me. As always fashion and technology are present day.

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Prologue:

Harry walked along the shore of the Black Lake with the Marauders map in his hands and the cloak of invisibility draped over his shoulders just in case. It was still surprisingly warm for a September Scottish night with the sky clear and the crescent moon, reflecting of the lake's surface. Hair still damp from this evening's quidditch practice, second one of this season. It went well but he was a little tired to be completely honest, varying between running the practice, seeking and also playing as chaser for some surprise plays for later on in the season will do that do a guy.

With the map confirming that no one was around, Harry kneeled down to re-tie and adjust his fairly new Nike trainers. Gone were the days of hand me downs. A letter from his late godfather inspired him to try to live his life a little for him, to use his well endowed funds for once on himself and to update his wardrobe-muggle and magical. It also stressed for him to not grieve over Sirius too long and think of what could've been, just to move forward. Harry wasn't quite there yet but damn was he sure trying.

"What are you doing out here, Potter?"

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Harry's train of thought derailed immediately and he turned his head to the right from his crouched position to the see Pansy Parkinson, Slytherin pureblood princess herself standing a few feet from him. Harry noticed that her stance with her arms lazily crossed wasn't hostile in the slightly which was definitely something he wasn't used to seeing. He also noticed that she still had her school robe on but it was open to reveal that she was wearing black Converse, gray gym shorts with a black tank top which caused an eyebrow to slightly arch. "Hmm, didn't know purebloods, especially Slytherins dressed remotely relaxed or muggle", Harry thought with slight interest but then was knocked out his musing when her voice reached his ears again.

"Well are you going to stand up and answer my question or are you just going to continue to sit there giving me that blank stare?" Pansy asked with her hands moving to her hips, Harry noted it wasn't her usual bitchy or superior tone that used she used when speaking to him and just about everyone else that wasn't Slytherin and also that she hadn't called him "Potty, scarhead, halfblood scum" or any other derogatory names.

Harry didn't know what possessed him to act just as civil as her or what made him say what he said next but he guessed that he was just going with the flow, "First I was adjusting my shoes and thinking. Second, instead of me getting up how about you take a seat here?"

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That definitely wasn't the response Pansy was expecting. She blinked, then blinked again then shrugged and muttered to herself something sounding like "fuck it" and sat next the Gryffindor golden boy. She subtlety looked up to the skies half expecting meteors to rain down and destroy the earth. Her thoughts were cut off when she heard, "I'll admit it's a nice view. Honestly the reason I'm out here, to look at the stars and clear my head." Pansy also definitely wasn't expecting the civil conversation to continue let alone him open up to her of all people in slightest but tucked that thought away for later review. "You know it's past curfew and I could land you a definition or two." Harry rubbed the back of his neck and gave a small laugh while still looking at the stars, "True but I'm a qudditch captain and basically have the same privileges of a prefect." Pansy smirked at his quick Slytherin like thinking, "that only applies to when its qudditch related, Potter." Harry took his eyes off the sky and glanced sideways at her, "Well then let's just say I'm thinking of qudditch plays then."

"Nice try but I still should report you."

"But you won't."

"Oh, do tell why I won't. "

"One, you're not in your school uniform. Two, you aren't with another prefect for rounds I know you aren't on duty. Three, reporting me means we would have to stop having this conversation"

Pansy let out a small laugh, "Well..one, prefects don't have to be in their school uniforms, just at least have their school robes. Two, quite preceptive aren't you? And three, I suppose you're right it's definitely an one-eighty from all our previous encounters."

Harry hummed in response and looked back at the moon, "indeed to that statement. Civil is nice change of pace. I can tell you've changed since last year but so have I." The Slytherin princess looked to her left, "been stalking me?" Harry shook his head, " oh no. Just a lot more preceptive than I let on. And I know it's none of my business in the slightest, but why the change?"


End file.
